Falling Away With You

By l8alldai

He thought she would love him forever. He counted on it. It was the one thing that prevented him from just giving up and losing. He wanted to love her. He wanted to give her what had always belonged to her. Sakura would always be the only one with a claim on him.

He didn't leave her to rot and sulk about him. He left to get revenge on the man…the brother…that massacred his clan. He never wanted to leave her or anyone for that matter, but he had to. He could never love her the way she deserved with the thought of Itachi coming back to finish what he started. He couldn't marry someone, restore his clan, and live his life if his brother was just going to kill everyone he loved.

He couldn't let her come with him on his mission. If anything had happened to her there would've been no way Sasuke could ever forgive himself. He couldn't bear the thought of what could have happened if he hadn't been able to save her. He wanted her to be safe and it was easier for him if she thought that she was unwanted. It was his insurance. If anything had happened to him she would've been sad no doubt. But if he had actually told her the truth then his death would've only caused her more grief over the fact that they could've been. He made sure he looked hopeless to her and only wished that when or if he returned she could forgive him for what he did…

And maybe one day love him again. But it didn't look like it would turn out that way.

Sasuke walked through the familiar gates knowing he would be stopped on site. He knew ANBU would come and put him under arrest. He expected the talking to from Tsunade and he even anticipated a trial although he hoped he could explain his way out of that. What he did not expect was the reception he got from Sakura. She was sitting on a bench reading a medical book, totally unaware that he was a few yards away. He was surprised that she didn't sense his chakra sooner but she looked too enthralled in what she was reading. He had to say something though.

"Sakura…"

He was nervous, which was one thing Uchiha's rarely were, but then again she was always and still was able to draw emotions out of him. Emotions he tried to suppress with every breath. She stiffened at his calling out to her. She tilted her head up away from the book, which was slowly falling out of her hands towards the floor, and stared.

He saw all the emotions she was feeling in her eyes; those large expressive green eyes. They hadn't changed since he saw them last. She silently and slowly stood up. She inched towards him, their eyes never leaving each other.

"Sasuke."

She whispered his name so low he wasn't sure she said it.

"Sakura I­-"

She slapped him hard across the cheek.

OoOoOoOoOoO

She didn't want to hear it. She spent years trying to move on from him. She would tell herself over and over again that he was a lost cause. Eventually she finally began to believe it. She had given up on him a while ago.

And here he was…proving her wrong by just being there.

He had come back. Sasuke Uchiha was actually standing in front of her, alive. She had gotten it in her head that the next time she saw him he would be in the morgue. This is what she trained herself to think. And he ruined it by simply uttering her name. 'How dare he.'

"How dare you…"

She ran off from where she stood. She needed to get away. If he really was back she'd get a chance to tell him off properly (because she was going to rip him a new one when she mustered up the courage to face him). But right now, she couldn't stand it. All the feelings came rushing back to her. Hate, anger, fear, worry…love. She pushed that last thought aside before it had time to plant itself in her head.

-You still love him you know-

Her inner decided to come out exactly when she didn't need it and never when she did. And usually she shooed it off. But she couldn't deny that she agreed with her inner self…for once.

"But I can't think that way. Not now. I need to stand strong on this one. I need to push him away before I can hope again."

"Push who away Sakura-chan? Is that dobe Lee trying anything?"

Naruto was stepping out of Ichiraku right as she mumbled (or so she thought) to herself.

"No no. It's not Lee it's-" She was interrupted by a very worried looking Shizune.

"Naruto. Sakura. Tsunade needs to see you two in her office now."

"What? Why?"

"She needs to speak to you. Now please hurry." Shizune was fidgeting.

She knew what Tsunade wanted to talk about. She had slapped the person that had Shizune rushing to fetch them. He was probably sitting in Tsunade's office right now getting his ass chewed out. 'Good. Maybe she'll talk some sense into him'

Shizune lead the way towards the Hokage tower with Sakura and Naruto in tow. Sakura couldn't focus on anything but what was going to happen now. He was back and she had lived so long without him she wasn't sure what to do know that he was back. She needed to tell Naruto.

"Naruto look I-"

"We're here. You can go on in."

They stood in front of the door to Tsunade's office. Sakura could sense his chakra…which meant Naruto could too. She looked to the side to see him. He had too many emotions on his face at one time to pinpoint what he was feeling. He glanced back at her and she shook her head and laced her fingers into his. She reached for the doorknob…

Author's note:

Idea popped into my head. I'm gonna roll with it. I have no clue how long this story will be and I have no clue of the end destination…I probably have 3 chapters planned after this and then after that, who knows?? I realize it's not very long but chapters will probably get longer in the future. This seemed like a good place to cut it. A little cliffhanger (or at least that's what I tried to make it.) And yes this is named after a Muse song. If you feel the need and look it up or you already know of it, the lyrics fit really well to the story and where it's gonna go.

Comments and reviews are appreciated and asked for…no matter what you think positive or negative. You will have my gratitude. Until next time!